Dispenser for compressed air



G. J. SPOHRER.

DISPENSER FOR COMPRESSED AIR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1919.

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' G. J. SPOHRER.

DISPENSER FOR COMPRESSED AIR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 19I9- Patented Nov. 1, 1921.

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villi/ll UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GREGORY JOHN SPOHRER, 01E EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY,

DISPENSER FOR COMPRESSED AIR.

Specification o1 Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 1,1921.

Application filed November 6, 191a Serial No. 336,132.

To all whom it may concern: 7 4

Be it known that I, GREGORY J. SPoHRER, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensers for Compressed Air; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

his invention relates to the dispensing j of compressed air. and has particular reference to air used in inflating automobile tires, although the apparatus hereinafter described, may obviously be employed in v of upward to two-hundred per square inch; Obviously, the careless use handling gases other than air, which. are supplied under pressure. i

Automobile tires of different sizes require inflation to varying pressures, in accordance with more or less standardized practice, and the introduction of air to a tire at a pressure,

exceeding thatfor which it is designed, may

cause serious'injury thereto. It is customary at garages to maintain a supply of air, under pressure, for use of customers. The air is usually held in asuitabl'e tank at a pressure and fifty pounds .embody an apparatus of the character described in a practioalform which adapts itto employment for its intended purpose and for use by persons unfamiliar with this mechanism without possible damage thereto.

Further. objects and advantages of. the invention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the following specification, when read in connection with the accompanying drawing. illustrating the preferred embodlment of the invention, in

which-- V Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse see-- 1101 herethrough v nated sign 6 bearing the words the name of the proprietor of the garage, or

Fig. is a detail in horizontal section, illustrating the controlling valve 51g. 4 1s a-similar view in vertical section; Fig. 5 is a detail, in the reel for the air hose.

Referring to the drawing, 5 indicates a suitable standard, preferably. hollow, which may carry at its top,'for example, an illumi- Free air,

any suitable subject matter. Near its upper section, illustratingv end, the'standard supports a, hollow spindle 7 'in bearings 8, Thespindle7 carries a reel 9 for an a1r hose 10, the latter having a coupling 11 through which the hose is con- .nectedto {the tire nipple. The inside width of the reel preferably corresponds to the diameter of the hose, and the edges of the reel are flared. The other end of the hose passes through an opening'in the spindle 7 and thence longitudinally to the flared end 12 thereof. The reel 9 is preferably inclosed by a casing 13v having an opening 14 through which the hose is withdrawn. A flared flange 15 surrounds the openin 14.

so that the hose may be pulled in any direc- :tion from the reel. A drum 17 is fast to thefspindle 7 within the .standard -5and a weight 18 is secured tothe end of a cord or chain 19 which is adapted to be wound on the drum 17 when the hose 10 is withdrawn from the reel 9. When the hose is released,

the weight 18 rotates the spindle 7 to rewind the hose, so that the latter is normally compactly arranged and preserved against in- B FY- 1 V A bracket 20 projecting from the standard 5 supports a valve casing 21 having an inlet passage 22 for air under pressure, the airbeing conveyed by a pipe 23 from a source of supply such as a tank. The passage 22 communicates with a. duct 24 which terminates in a seat 25 within the casing 21, and-a valve 26 on a yoke 27 is normally held in engagement with the seatby a spring 28 disposed between. the end of the yoke and a cap '29, which is threadedly disposed in an opening at one end of the casing 21. A stem 30 connected to the yoke is movable in a guideway- 31,- provided therefor in the cap 29. The yoke 27 is connected to a diaphragm I 32 which is secured at its edges by a cap 33 threadedly engaging the casing 21 and a spring 34 is disposed between the diaphragm 32 and a plug 35 threadedly arranged in the cap 33, so that rotation of the plug; varies the tension which the spring 34exerts upon the diaphragm 32. A projection 36' on the diaphragm serves to prevent lateral displacement of the spring 34. An outlet 36 fromthe casing 21. is connected-to the hose 10 which extends beyond the flared end 12 for this purpose and is preferably coiled as indicated in the drawing so that the reel may rotate without resistance. As will be readily understood, as from the source of supply Will be perrnlttedto pass the valve 26 until the pressure within the casing 21 and the connections to the tire to be inflated, overbalances the tension of the spring 34 and thereby causes the valve 26 to engage the seat 25.'

To allow adjustment of the tension ofthe spring 34'and permit the delivery ofgas to a predetermined pressure, an indicator 38 issupported 'ona' spindle 39 projecting from thestandard-5 andis connected to acollar 40 carrying a gear 41 which meshes with a inion 42 having-aclutch 43. Pins 44 on t e ste'm45 of the plug 45 are engaged by the clutch 43 so that rotation of indicator 38 ,transmits a corresponding movement to the plug 45. Adial 46 is sup- Pe -t d on the spindle 39 and a spring 47 is fastenedto the-rear face thereof and to the collar 40. Thus, unless held in thedesired position, the indicator 38 is returfied'to thesition', "thereby releasing "the tension, of the spring 34 and pennitting the valve-' 26 to seat and-prevent escape of. gasto'the zero casing 21. The dial '46 is provided with graduations48 indicating numerically the press'urein pounds, and by movement-of the indicator 38 to thegraduation corresponding to the desired air pressure, the tension of the spring 34 is correspondingly increased to force the valve 26 from its-seat and permit the passage of air through the connections to the tire with which the hose 10 has been previously coupled.

To facilitate retention of the indicator 38 in the desired position, the dial is provided with a plurality of openings 49 disposed adjacent the graduations and a pin 50 is supported on the indicator 38 for engagement with the selected opening 49. A spring 51 surrounding the pin 50 within a suitable housing 52 normally holds .thepin from engagement with the dial and a knob 53 on the end of the pin permits ,the operator to compress the spring 51. As soon as the operator releases the knob- 53', the pin 50 is withdrawn from the opening 49'with which 7 it is engaged and the spring 47 returns the indicator-.38 to zero position.

:From-the foregoing description, it-will be apparent that, under normal conditions, the hose 10 is wound upon its reel and escape of 'air is prevented because of the tens on of the spring 34 is relieved and no gas is permitted to pass the valve 26. The standard pressures for tires of diflerent sizes may be advantageously delineated upon the dial 46 and the operator. knowing the size of the tire may, by grasping the ingraduation 48. This movement tensions the spring 34 and permits the passage of air into the casing 21 and thence to the tire.-

.The operator thereafter holds the indicator indicator 38 before inflation is complete, he

, s5 will,upon determining that more alr 1s reqt'li'red, return the indicator to theSsame point upon the dial andwill hold it there until the desired inflation is accomplished.

The apparatus described enables an unskilled operator to inflate automobile tires to exactly the required degree, without employing a pressure gage and without danger of over infiation, when using air from a tank in which it is maintained under-relatively high pressure. The apparatus isrel-' atively simple in construction and is of such a character that it may be safely exposed in garages and similar, places without prob',

ability of damage by careless use of unskilled persons. v

' Various changes may obviously be made in the details of construction and inasmuch as I am the first to propose an apparatus which enables the, inflationof'automobile tires from tanks containing air ,under pressure and with exact regulation of the pressure at which the air is delivered, I desire to claim my invention broadly'and in every aspect, whether conforming exactly to the present disclosure. ordifl'erent in details therefrom. a

I claim:

' 1. In an apparatus for dispensinggas un- 4 derpressure, the combination of an automatic pressure-reducing valve for varying the outlet pressure of gas passing therethrough, a dial, a manually adjustable indicator cooperating with the dial and operatively connected to the valve, and means tending to hold said indicator in position to close said valve.

2. In an apparatus for dispensing gas under pressure, the combination of an automatic pressure-reducin valve for varying the outlet pressure 0 as passing therethrough, a dial, a manua ly adjustable indicator cooperating with the dial and operatively connected to the valve, and resilient means for returning the indicator to zero 70 dicator 38, move it to the corresponding -matic pressure-reducing valve for varying the outlet pressure of gas passing therethrough, a dial, a manually adjustable indicator cooperating with the dial and operatively connected to the valve, means for returning the indicator to zero position when released to prevent the passage of gas through the valve, and manually controllable means for holding the indicator in predetermined position.

4. In an apparatus for dispensing gas under pressure, the combination of a manually adjustable indicator, -means controlled by the adjustment of the indicator to permit the passage of gas at a predetermined pressure, and means to return the indicator to zero osition when released.

5. 11 an apparatus for dispensing gas un pressure, means to .return the indicator to zero position when released,- and manually controllable means for holding the indicator in a predetermined position.

6. In an apparatus for dispensing gas under pressure, the combination of'a standard,

a graduated dial on the standard, an ad-' justable indicator cooperating with the dial, the pressure-reducin valve actuated by movement of the ind cator for varying the outlet pressure of gas passing through the valve, and mean for returning the indicator to zero position when released.

7. In an apparatus for dispensing gas under pressure, the combination of a standard, a graduated dial on the standard, an adjustable indicator co6 perating with the dial, a pressure-reducing valve, means actuated by movement of the indicator for varying the outlet ressure of the gas passing through the valve, means for returning the indicator to zero position when released, and means for holdingthe indicator in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my si ature.

GREGORY JOHN SPO ER. 

